Chronicles of the Dream
by Illikas Rager
Summary: The adventures of Illikas, son of Illimas (A.K.A. Illidan) and Moxo, daughter of the dreamscape itself. Rated M for extreme violence at points.
1. Chapter 1: The Girl of Nightly Essence

**Chapter One:The Girl Of Nightly Essence**

**There was once a girl who lived in dreams. She had never loved anyone, and had yet to grasp the concept of love. Her name was Moxo Holly Geraldo. Her role in life was to protect people of reality from nightmares. But enough of introductions. Her story starts here, in a house somewhere in the Himalayas…**

**It was a very snowy, cold, night. The house creaked and groaned in the blizzard. Within this house lived a sole male. "Do I believe in you? Why would you ask that? Of course I do…" said Terrance Geraldo to his mirror. You see, Terrance had always been a little crazy, ever since the moment he was born. Instead of bawling, he was laughing relentlessly, **

**The doctors stated he had suffered no physical or mental damage beforehand, So why was it, then, that he attempted to hit and kick his own mother with his baby-sized feet and fists when she attempted to hold him? The doctors instantly removed him from his mother, which only prompted him to laugh twice as hard as when he started.**

**Hmm? Oh. Yes. Right. The birth of Moxo. Where was I...Ah yes! The voice in Terrance's head responded to his answer with "I'm glad you do. I'm here. Let me out?" This prompted Terrance to punch the mirror to pieces, And out came baby Moxo.**

**Terrance then nodded his head at the smashed mirror and said "When the baby comes of age, I will sacrifice her to Lord! And then, No one will stop your reign!" The baby began crying. Terrance rolled his eyes and said, "Shut up.", And then proceeded to punch Moxo square in the face.**

**12 Years Later…**

**"****Why would you DO that,?!" Moxo screamed as she stumbled into the kitchen. She was wearing (barely visible) black and white striped stockings, a ****_Happy Days _****T-shirt, shining red high-heels (which was obviously the cause of her falling constantly), and a pitch-black skirt. She also had long, white hair that was reaching down to halfway down her head. Terrance sipped a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper.**

**"****Why would I do what, sweetheart?" Terrance replied. Moxo raised her voice even more at this. "How long has it been since you punched me!? Just why!?"**

**Terrance sighed as he continued to sip his his coffee. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder why I'm even raising you… It's been 12 years,, I punched you because you were crying like the stupid little brat that you are, which sent you into a coma, and in addition, you've grown to be even uglier than the first 6 and a half years of your life where you were wearing that dumb neck brace . i'm sure you would've been fine without it, but it's what those stupid doctors demanded when I told them that your mother had died giving birth and you fell and broke your neck.**

**Moxo just looked blankly at her supposed foster father. "However, looking on the brighter side of the moon, I was rather surprised that you've come out in the condition you did. You're lucky to still be a normal, fully-functioning human being, and not some dumb retard. **

**That did it. Moxo was done listening to this jackass degrade her! She ran towards him, ready to punch HIM square in the face! But, before she could, Terrance grabbed her by the wrist and smashed her on the ground. Hard. She pushed herself up. She was crying alongside a nosebleed. Terrance sighed and went back to sipping his coffee and reading the paper.**

**"****Pathetic. You really should try to do harder, my child." Moxo's eyes widened in anger. "I am not your child,!" she screamed. at the top of her lungs. And with that, she went out the door. "I'm never coming back, you useless bum!" Terrance laughed at this. "Leave if you want, child, You were never required to stay here. However, I would suggest packing your things before you leave. These are the Himalayas, after all.**

**Moxo's anger quelled a bit.. "Fine. " With that, she stormed up the stairs. Terrance just grinned to himself. "She'll come back one day ,anyway, just not to see if I'm doing alright. The fates have spoken. I honestly wonder who this man she's with is, however…**

**6 years later…**

**"****Thank you sir, for the ride." Moxo said to the taxi driver. "Anytime, miss. it IS my job, after all." And with that, the taxi driver drove off. "So then…" Moxo looked around. "This is New York?" Moxo smiled to herself. **

**She was now wearing her future signature outfit, which was the pitch black skirt from earlier in the chapter (except this one was different, she just bought it at a store somewhere in the suburbs of New York, and it covered the entirety of her legs). along with a green dress covering her down to her waist, and a necklace she had had since before she had fallen into the sinister care of Terrance.**

**She had styled her black hair into what she liked to call, bladed pigtails. Basically pigtails, but then she put steel folds onto them, making her pigtails more like deadly daggers than an actual hairstyle. She had ignored the looks people had given her after she had gotten those steel folds from that old, haggard-looking metalworker in the mountains near her house.**

**Moxo wandered blindly into a nearby alleyway. She was caught up in her own little world, hence why she was unaware of her own demise approaching her. She was looking the other way, as the purse-snatcher whipped out his gun…and fired.**

**a few days later…**

**_Ugh...Where am I…? _****Moxo thought. ****_This...Isn't where I was! _****Moxo started screaming for help, but to no avail, as she was attempting to talk through a perfectly-soundproofed wall.**

**Moxo was not dead...But she was also barely alive. She was in a hospital. The doctors had hitched her up to a device that, try as they might, would not exactly keep her alive...but instead dreaming for probably the next 150 years. Later, she had decided to watch over other's dreams for them, since she was going to be in what the world was now calling 'Dream-Stasis'. for possibly the rest of her life.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Boy of Demonic Blood

**Chapter Two: The Boy of Demonic Blood**

**There was once a boy who lived in reality (barely). He had never loved anyone, but unlike our poor Moxo, he had quite a fine grasp on the concept of love. His name was Illikas Marshall Rager. His role in life was to help the meager and protect the weak. That was his motto, actually. But enough of introductions. His story begins in a grand temple flying in the exosphere…**

** "****Illikas, time for dinner!" shouted Illimas Rager, Illikas' father. "Alright dad, I'll be right there!" Illikas .**

**shouted back from his room.**

**Before I go any further, let me get a few things straight. First off, Illimas, like Terrance, had always been crazy. But unlike Terrance, he was a demon. Despite that, however, he had quite a soft spot for his son, and had always been a gentleman to others. So you see, Illimas was crazy, just in a good way.**

**Anyway, once Illikas had reached the table, he found his favorite dinner meal: Black tea and Macintosh apples. "Thank you, father." said Illikas. Illimas just smiled back at his son.**

** "****Dad...I'm writing a new book" Illikas began explaining to his father. "That's good. What''is it about?" he asked. "Well...It's my life story, except with a bad guy and a good guy." His father smiled and tussled his son's hair. "I'm sure it'll come out great." Illikas smiled briefly, but then grimaced. "I'm the good guy, and you're the villain. Is that alright?" **

**Illimas almost choked on his food. "Dad…?" Illikas asked. "Nothing, son...It's nothing." **

**8 years later…**

**"****Son, please come to the armory." Illimas said over the loudspeaker. "Alright" Illikas said into his end. He was wearing his future signature outfit (for his human form, anyway), which was a green shirt, with a bow tie he crafted out of eagle feathers, a set of bellbottoms, and a top hat, plus EXTREMELY long hair, with a long ponytail at the very top of his head, and dreadlocks covering most of his head, while the rest of it was just lying about, all over the place, all the way down to his back. **

**When he got to the armory, there was noone there. Illimas sighed over the loudspeaker. "The OTHER armory, son." Illikas wondered a bit as he proceeded to his father's personal armory. ****_But that's the one place I'm never supposed to go into,, I thought? What would make father change his mind now…?_**

**His answer came to him when he arrived. There, in front of him, was standing his father. Except...where the hell was his shirt? And what were those green spirals on his chest? Not to mention the shorts ripped in a zigzag fashion. Illimas smiled at his son.**

**Illikas nodded his head. "First off, there's some things I have been reluctant to tell you these past sixteen years. For one...you remember your book you were going to write? The one where you were the hero, and I was the villain?" Illimas asked his son.**

** "****Hmm…? You mean the one titled Dream Family?" he asked. Illimas frowned slightly at this question. "Yes, that one. It was no dream. Most of what you wrote actually happened." Illikas donned a puzzled look on his face. "What do you mean, father?" His father hated himself for not telling his son earlier in his life. **

** "****We're demons, son. Beings whose purpose is to destroy people's lives." Illikas stared blankly at his father. Illimas continued, "I do believe you've always known, Illikas. However, we are...unique. Different from the rest of them. We are part human." Illikas took a moment to process this information.**

** "****But why are you dressed like that?" asked Illikas. Illimas cracked a smile. "You like it? This is what I wore back when I was down on the planet below, known as Earth." Illikas was beginning to understand. now why his father had called him here.**

** "****Another thing, Illikas…" Illikas changed his expression a bit more. "What?" Illimas paused unsure if he should say more. "You have a twin sister, Illikas." Illikas' eyes widened, and his jaw unclenched. "A...sister?" Illimas nodded. "Yes. Although you two are nothing alike.. While you inherited my demonic genes, she inherited your mother's human genes. So you could almost say you and her are...fraternal twins."**

**"****What's her name, father? And also, just who IS my mother?" asked Illikas. "Elizabeth. And your mother was a great and powerful woman, to say the least. Why do you wish to know?" His father inquired. Illikas smiled and said, "I'm going after her, that's why." Illimas flinched, shocked that his son would even consider that. He then sighed and just barely managed a smile.**

**"****Before you go, Illikas, I have three favors I must ask of you." Illikas looked back up at his father. "Anything for the man who raised me." He stated without emotion. Illimas laughed a little at this. "You remind me so much of myself when I was 100…Anyway, my first favor I ask of you is that you pack your things before you go. It's a long way down." Illikas responded with a simple nod. "Second, please pick out a few weapons from this armory. Anything you choose, I won't care."**

**Illikas nodded at this too, and complied. He walked inside the room, buried wall-to-wall in medieval-looking weaponry, all of which were old and decrepit. Suddenly, a glint of green, shiny metal caught his eye. He walked over to an even older cache of weapons, all of which were glowing an eerie, ghostly green. They were also most likely the oldest and definitely sharpest weapons in the room.**

**_What are these weapons? I've never seen a design like them before in my entire life!, _****Illikas thought to himself. He picked up two similar-looking...things. Illikas just couldn't figure out what the hell these things were. **

**Illimas was humming ****_The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, _****a song made in the early 1920's, when Illikas finally came out of the room. "Ah. You've finally decided, I see? Wait… OHO! You really DO have my genes, don't you? My warglaives….I can't believe you found the Felblood Cache!" Illikas just stared at his father blankly. "If you're going to take those, don't forget to take every single other weapon in that old crate!" And so Illikas did.**

** "****Father, you said you had three favors… what was the third one?" Illikas asked. Illimas laughed. "Oh, just that you give these people my regards." He handed Illikas a list with at least a couple thousand names listed on it. Illimas continued om, "Those people are all my greatest enemies in life. They were also all responsible for at least one of my crimes. "I request that you kill these people. Believe me, they will have long deserved it by the time you get to them."**

**Illikas flipped through the book and cringed when he saw the very last name. "Illimas Rager!? Dad, have you lost your mind!?"" Illimas frowned extremely deeply. "They'll have long deserved it by the time you get to them." he repeated. Illikas felt so….powerless at that moment. He was crying, and yet he wanted to punch his father. Illimas began crying too, except his tears were more flames than water, **

** "****No...Dad...No...Please, dad, I don't want it to end like that!" Illikas bawled on. "Believe me, my son, I don't want it to end like that, either. But I would much rather die by your hand than anyone else's. I'm fairly sure everyone else you'll have killed will feel that way, too."**

**Later, Illikas was ready to leave. "I love you." he said. "I know." his father replied.**

**2 Years Later…**

**Illikas had spent the last two years killing off the people on the list, just as he promised. It wasn't long before his own father's death came. That day had left him horribly emotionless...for his father was one of the extremely few he had ever killed to actually be able to respond before Illikas finished the job.**

**"****I'm so...proud,...of you...my son…Thank you..." he had said, just barely able to utter the words while choking on his own blood.**

**Illikas then claimed the temple in the sky as his own, and lived in it from that day forth.**


	3. Chapter 3: The Woman Who Fell in Love

**Chapter Three: The Woman Who Fell in Love With a Demon**

**It was just another night starting up for Moxo. At least, that''s what she thought to herself as she was continuing to dream. Then, when she went into the dream, she found something completely different from what she was expecting. Tonight was the night she was destined to meet the love of her life.**

**Moxo was aged 30 in the real world on that day; It was her birthday. She Flying through the dreamscape (because she was in the dream) when she spotted a bit of commotion below. ****_Looks like a nightmare. The worst kind of nightmare, too. The kind where you battle your fears...and lose. _****Moxo thought to herself. She herself had never interfered with these kind of nightmares, for they were as they were meant to be. But then she noticed something.**

** "****Is it just me...or is that…?" Moxo's eyes widened in fear, realizing she was about to be impaled if she didn't move quick. After she dodged the javelin, she felt like screaming at whoever it was. But then, a thought that wasn't her own invaded her mind. "Why don't you go check it out, instead?" It said.**

**Moxo mulled this over for a moment, realizing it actually wasn't a half-bad idea. After a few seconds, she decided to fly down there. What she found was several more flying javelins in every direction. ****_What is with all these javelins? _****Moxo was starting to get REALLY annoyed at whoever this was.**

**When she finally touched ground, she looked around. And got stabbed through the back with one of those damn javelins. "Owwwwww…." She groaned, rolling around in excruciating pain. It was impossible for her to die in the dreamscape, you see. A silhouette of what seemed to be...a demoin…? materialized in Moxo's blurry, faded vision. It knelt down.**

** "****Oh my god, I'm so sorry! Are you okay? You don't look so hot..." His voice echoed in her rattling brain. She then collapsed from the pain.**

**Approximately 3 hours later…**

**_Ugh… My aching head..._****Moxo groaned. "Here. I poured you some tea." Moxo looked around for the person who said this. She eventually saw a man. Who was bare-chested. With wings. And horns. Sitting on a bed. In front of her. Moxo nearly screamed. **

** "****My name's Illikas Marshall Rager. You can just call me Illi. And may I inquire as to what your name is?" He asked in a quiet tone. Moxo calmed down a bit. Whether it was his calm posture or the way he was being polite, she didn't know. "My name's Moxo Holly Geraldo. But please, call me Moxie." Moxo cringed at the thought of being called Moxie, for some reason she could not quite identify.**

** "****Alright, Moxie" "On second thought, just Mox will do…" Illikas stared blankly at her, "Ok, Mox. Are you going to drink your tea? It'll get cold otherwise." Moxo was really quite mesmerized by how nice this...whatever he was...was being to her. She had never gotten this kind of hospitality before In her life. "Umm...Yea, sure, I'll drink it…"**

** "****It's my special recipe for the ailment you have at the moment. It's basically homemade aspirin with tea leaves." Moxo nearly spat out her tea when she heard this. "Really?" She nearly choked on the words. She cleared her throat and then asked, "But wait. How did you know I had a headache?"**

**Illikas chuckled. "I honestly thought you would've noticed by now that i'm a demon, Moxo!" Moxo was impressed by this fact. "Aren't those kind of things...you know, nonexistent? Don't get me wrong, It explains a lot, It's just...well, I've only met those kind of things in the dreamscape."**

**Illikas laughed a bit harder at this, and eventually calmed down enough to say, "Oh, you're funny, Moxo. How'd you like to be my first friend?" Moxo smiled. "Of course!" **

**The next day...**

**The two had talked much ever since last night. However, It felt to Moxo as if there was quite a few things that Illikas probably wasn't telling her. The next few nights were the nights where both Moxo and Illikas probably revealed what started their deeper relationships. But first, I must tell you about what happened during the daytime after that night.**

**Moxo was about to go to sleep herself for the daytime when she started to hear a beeping noise. In real life, the doctors were struggling to get the prototype patient from out of the hospital as fast as possible. You see, one of the doctors, named Wilson Guille, was minding his own business when he passed by the office. Suddenly, he heard a slow 'tick ticking' noise. He decided to investigate, which turned out to be his demise.**

**Remember Terrance from the first chapter? Yes, that one. He was looking through the desks and whatnot when Wilson walked in. Wilson looked at him and stammered out his last words, for Terrance had a new outfit. It was blood stained, and adorned with human skulls. "Sir...Umm…Y-you're not s-supposed to be in h-here…" Next thing that happened was Wilson getting his head ripped off. Terrance looked at his new trophy, when he suddenly noticed that it was beginning to glow a bright green. **

**Then all hell broke loose, as several security guards, who had seen him killing off the doctors on tape and had tracked him down, kicked open the door to the office. But there was no one there. The head security guard said over the loudspeaker, "He's in Patient Serial No. 77008800's room! Hurry!" The guards did as commanded, and sure enough, when he got there, there he was, standing in the doorway.**

**He turned around. "Apologies, but I just came to see my daughter." He said, making a mocking gesture to the guards in the doorway. "However, it would seem that visiting hours are now officially OVER!" He said as a rather well-timed explosion occurred, incinerating all the guards in front of him. **

**"****Honestly, Someone give me a challenge already!" He then walked over to Moxo's dream-capsule and whispered, "It's been too long, sweetheart."**

**Back in the dreamscape, Moxo was getting her daytime nap in in the small hut that Illikas had made for her out of nothing but dust for her the night before. All of a sudden, she heard Terrance's words. Moxo began to sweat and bleed mentally, for she hated that man with a burning passion to this day. "DO NOT CALL ME THAT!" she yelled in her sleep.**

**Meanwhile, back in the hospital room, Terrance was just about to plunge his poisoned scimitar which he had used to kill the doctors into Moxo's chest, when a voice echoed from the doorway. "You called?" Illimas' echo said, examining his (extremely elongated) fingernails. **

**"****Who the bloody hell are you?" Terrance asked in bewilderment. Illimas sighed and motioned over to Moxo's sleeping body. "I'm her Father-In-Law." Illimas stated plainly. "Also, you requested a challenge, did you not? I'm fairly certain you'll look no further."**

**Terrance grinned ear-to-ear, bloodlust seeping in. "I accept your challenge." He said, no hesitation detectable in his voice. Illimas grinned too, although looking a bit less crazy. "Hey! That's MY line!" He said, and then they charged at each other. **

**Literally 10 hours later…**

**The two fathers of the fated couple had been battling for the past 10 hours, both sides taking collateral damage. And neither of them had given up. Finally, Terrance put up a smokescreen, and sneakily punched in the last few digits of Moxo's release code. When the smoke cleared, Terrance was gone. And so was Moxo.**

**Illimas sighed, a trace of defeat visible in his breaths. However, this defeat was not from having lost Moxo! "Jackass cheated. If there's one thing I hate more than anything, It's an unfair player!" He said to himself. You see, he knew that the real Moxo had been replaced with a decoy Moxo, and that the real one was long gone and now safe. "Next time, I'll make sure to finish him." He muttered.**

**He looked down at his feet. There he saw the skull of Wilson Guille, which had been knocked off Terrance's person during the fight. "Hello, Guille…" **

**8 hours later…**

**Moxo was crying when Illikas re-materialized in front of her. Moxo looked up. "You're back, I see." Illikas kneeled down, and replied, "Of course. It's my role in life to protect the weak. But hey, what's wrong? You're crying." he asked. Moxo tried her best to smile, but she just couldn't. "It's nothing, Illikas... It's nothing.**

**Illikas felt a sudden jolt of emotion hearing those words echo back to him after all these years.****_It's nothing, son...It's nothing…. _****It seemed as though the very air around the future couple had changed. Suddenly Illikas began crying too, and even more suddenly, he HUGGED Moxo. Moxo blinked. She felt like she should slap this man for the sudden hug, but, at the same time, felt as though it was HER FAULT that Illikas was now sobbing uncontrollably like he was right now.. But then he started saying things to her.**

** "****You have no idea...what it was like….Moxo...I know you're a complete stranger...and I probably seem really offended by you saying that...but believe me...whatever you were just crying about...I'm crying about something probably twice as horrible" Moxo frowned greatly. So she had just probably released memories of something ten thousand times worse than her birth family, and worse, Terrance? She shuddered to think what could possibly be that much worse than that…**

** "****Illikas…"Moxo began, "My father...That's what I was crying about...He just tried to kill in reality, I'm sure of it...But whatever you're crying about, I'm sure some things are better left as sealed memories, mm?" Illikas' eyes widened to the size of saucers, and he pulled away from Moxo, but his hands remained on her shoulders.**

**Just then, a sudden thought dawned on Moxo. what if the nightmare he was having last night was what he was now crying about? But then, in that case, what was with the javelins? She thought briefly about asking Illikas, but then changed her mind. Instead she asked Illikas the following question, "Illikas, you said earlier that your role in life is to protect the weak, correct? How''d you like to join me on a trip to do just that?"**

**Illikas smiled. He replied with a simple "Yes". Moxo nodded her head. She didn't know why, but she was beginning to realize that she had fallen in love with this man.**


	4. Chapter 4: Life in the Temple

**Chapter Four: Life in the Temple**

**Illikas woke up the next morning, wondering about that girl...Moxo, was it? She was in the next room still sleeping, he noted to himself. She had said to him after that question in the last chapter that she was someone who watched over people's dreams. She didn't say much after that, and in fact, she had to be given time to get ready, she had told him, which was the sole reason why he woke up.**

**He then realized he was had been crying in reality, and also was humming ****_The Trail of The Lonesome Pine _****at this very second, as if he was getting impatient. Impatient about what, however, he had no idea...yet. He growled menacingly. No one had ever managed to make him cry as much as he was now, that is, no one besides his father when he was younger. He had not realized it until now, but he had become an emotionless swine after 30 years.**

**And Moxo was bringing him back the gift of emotions. Illikas scowled at his own incompetence. How could he let anyone remind him of that past which he had tried to bury for so many long years? He then subconsciously looked around his bedroom. He noticed the bells he used for his servants hanging on the wall adjacent to his bed.**

**You see, many years before, in the 2 years he had spent killing off those people on his father's list, he had encountered several people who were about to die, but then prayed for forgiveness. They were scared. **

**Now, Illikas was many things, his father's personal assassin among them, but he would never, ever murder someone in cold blood, especially if said someone was frightened for their very life. Therefore, allow me to list his servants below, organized from lowest rank to highest rank:**

**Marastra Hiklo : Marastra was the first man on Illikas' list. Since it was Illikas' first job, Illikas seemed a bit nervous that day. Illikas unsheathed his dagger and sliced off Marastra's limbs. Just before Marastra died, he said to IIllikas, "Please...I beg of you...be my mentor…" Illikas then looked at him with surprise. Approximately half an hour later, Marastra found himself alive again, but with mechanical limbs, installed courtesy of Illikas. **

**At that moment, he told Illikas, "Thank you, my lord!" Illikas shrugged, smiled, and simply said, "If you so much as touch me, I'll kill you. again." He now views himself as Illikas' sidekick, and so does Illikas, but he refuses to admit it. Being the person that has been at Illikas' side the longest, he did not take kindly to the other servants when they were recruited.**

**Jonah Nilla : Jonah Nilla was the 37th person on Illikas' list, and was rather infuriated at the time of his death. He hadn't even noticed Illikas until he struck him because he was so busy venting. About what was he venting? You know, your guess is as good as mine on that one. His attitude had changed drastically, however, when he heard Illikas tell him that Illimas sent his regards.**

**The next morning, Jonah woke up on a (very roughed-up) couch. He remembered what had happened last night, and freaked out for at least half an hour before Illikas came into the room yelling, "I can't take it anymore!" and slapped him hard across the face. "You done yet?" he had stated as plainly as possible. Jonah had calmed down significantly after that, and replied, "Thanks. I needed that." Jonah had then studied him over and asked, "You're not Illimas, are you?"**

**Illikas smiled and said, "No. I'm his son, Illikas." Jonah had looked intently at his old enemy's supposed son, and asked why he had brought him here. Ilikas chuckled to himself before saying, "I'm offering you a deal. Right now, I'm on a quest to kill my dad's enemies...and then father himself. How'd you like to aid me on said quest?" Jonah had looked up at him with his vanilla- ice-cream-colored eyes, and accepted.**

**Grum Bokker: Grum was a fun 93rd target, to say the least. He was a world-class gentleman, but was addicted to beer. And not just in the alchoholic way, either. In fact, he was rather against alcohol. Instead, he was addicted to beer, and only beer, plus beer history. Anyway, he was working in his privately-owned beer tavern when Illikas had barged open the saloon-style doors and purposely walked in as if he was drunk.**

**"****Hey man, get me some red ale, on the double!" Illikas had said, trying his best attempt at a 'drunken idiot' accent. Grum had looked inquisitively at the familiar-looking man standing on the other side of the bar, but, in the end, had gotten him his request.**

**When Grum had gone into the beer cellar, he found Illikas disguised (way too easily) as Illimas, standing in front of one of his 1,500-gallon collector's edition beer kegs. "Hello, Grum. I'm right here." Grum shook his head in disbelief, but sure enough, his old enemy was still standing there. Grum took out an axe and tried to charge him, but the disguised Illikas vanished into thin air just before Grum pierced the wooden keg. **

**Grum was picked up by the back of his tuxedo by Illikas about 15 minutes later, drowned. Illikas looked him over, and lay him down on the wooden ground. He then proceeded to bat Grum with one of the wooden boards, which had been torn off of the wooden keg when it exploded, flooding the cellar with beer. Grum coughed and burped up all of the beer he had so unexpectedly swallowed due to his own recklessness after about 20 seconds.**

**Grum coughed out the words, "Thank...You...sir…." Grum then hiccuped repeatedly while asking Illikas, "Where's *hic* Illimas? He should *hic* still be arou- *hic* around here somewhere." Illikas grinned malevolently, and shifted his form. Grum could only manage a frown. "You're not Illi- *hic* -mas, are *hic* you?" Illikas nodded, and stretched out his hand, and asked him if he wanted to come work for him. Grum didn't ask why or anything, but instead just nodded and grabbed onto Illikas' hand.**

**Doklan Surrat : The 173rd target, Doklan being a complete and utter ass to everyone around him, including Illikas himself, was not what helped convince Illikas to take him to work for him. No, not at all. It was actually the fact of how well of a fight he put up. When Illikas proposed that he come work for him, Doklan scoffed at Illikas, but accepted nonetheless.**

**Gron Dimmer : Gron, target no. 219, actually was pretty equal to Illikas in terms of skill, which was very hard to do. When he slinged Illikas over, thinking it was Illimas, he nearly killed him. Instead, what he saw was a man aged probably no older than 17. Illikas remarked at how good he was, and asked if he'd like to be his bodyguard and leader of an attack on Illidan himself. He accepted, and over time, they came to realize each other's skill.**

**Gobunn Klashet : Target no. 543 was so lame at fighting Illikas was actually embarrassed every time he saw him. Illikas was pretty proud of how good he was at cooking, cleaning, and pretty much everything that involved non-violence, however. Basically, Half-around type, not all-around...yet.**

**Anyway, he picked the last bell, labeled ****_Laboratory 17_****, and was about to ring it, when an electronic, almost-synthesized voice resounded through the loudspeaker up above the bell. "You need something, Illikas?" said the voice. Illikas had a brief flashback to the day he had helped his father install the loudspeakers across the temple in at least 2,000 rooms. God that voice had always bugged him and his father to death. It was like having a nagging Real Housewife of New Jersey in the temple's very walls.**

**The voice, deemed Mono'the Fitz by his father, was probably the oldest thing in the temple., and could actually be considered the technical longest-serving servant. Mono'the had always extended the loudspeaker out of the wall via antenna, then boomed in their ears to wake them up, telling them either, "HEY, WAKE UP ALREADY! YOU HAVE THINGS TO DO, DON'T YOU?" or, at nighttime, whispered out of the wall, but still pretty damn loud, "I'm pretty sure you should go to bed about now."**

**Illikas wondered to himself why he hadn't just fixed the volume on her or something already Suddenly, Mono'the snapped him back to the present, yelling in his ear, "Illikas?! Are you there? Are you okay?" Illikas, finally getting really mad at Mono'the, yelled back, "YES, I'M FINE! WILL YOU JUST CALM DOWN ALREADY, FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE!?"**

**Mono'the stopped. Illikas had never yelled back, not once. Obviously, there was something more to this. Something was bugging Illikas big time. And he had just vented whatever was bugging him at Mono'the. "Illikas? Is something wrong?" Mon'the asked. Illikas was a kind soul, much unlike his father. Mono'the still had THAT DAY stored away in her memory banks somewhere.**

**Illikas nodded. "Aye. Something is very wrong, Mono'the." He said. "Do you want to tell me, Illikas? I'll promise to not tell the other servants. Plus, it's also part of my function to document the general...things...that go on within this temple, so future generations of the Rager family can inquire about it's past." Mono'the explained.**

**"****Yeah, well, I doubt that's of interest to the Rager bloodline anymore...However, I'll tell you. what's wrong. IF you promise to be a bit quieter from here on out, if you know what I mean?" Illikas said. Mono'the responded with a simple "Okay." Illikas sighed. "Alright, Mono'the...It all began last night-" Illikas was cut off as the red alert lockdown took place. **

**"****Mono'the! What's going on!?" Illikas demanded instantly. "Two unauthorized visitors In laboratory no. 10!" "Are the security cameras still up in there? If they are, bring them up on screen!" Illikas demanded. Mono'the immediately complied, and what came up on the screen almost made Illikas faint. **

**It was one of those new dream-stasis capsules. That wasn't there before. And while the security camera's quality wasn't good enough to identify who was inside, Illikas knew who it was. And there was an old man next to her capsule, He was whispering something as he kneeled next to the glass frame…**


	5. Chapter 5: His Love Runs Deep

**Chapter Five: His Love Runs Deep**

**Moxo was about done getting ready when she noticed the small hut beginning to shake. ****_Either there's someone dreaming about an earthquake..._****she thought, ****_or something bad is happening to my body in the real world. _****She didn't know what it was, but she was fairly certain it was the latter. Then she saw him.**

**"****Hello, sweetheart. I do believe we have a bit of catching up to do…" Terrance stated in a lower and lower tone as he said it. Moxo screamed. Terrance rolled his eyes and said, "Shut up." He then proceeded to attempt to punch here in the face. But instead of connecting with Moxo, he instead hit Illikas. Terrance held his own hand and cried out in extreme pain, having hit Illikas' abs really hard, yet still had no effect.**

**Illikas looked sternly down at Terrance, and said in an increasingly angry tone, "I have no idea who you think you are...But you have got a LOT of nerve, breaking into MY temple, and then vandalizing MY property, and then proceeding to try to hurt this poor girl. She's been through a lot in her life, I can tell. However, I promise you this: She will NEVER be harmed AGAIN! So if you so much as lay a hand on her, you then have ME to deal with. Am I clear?"**

**Illikas was now choking Terrance. Terrance felt really powerless at that moment, and tried to mutter out words, but he just couldn't. "Illikas, wait!" Moxo said suddenly. Illikas looked at Moxo, his two now-muscular arms still tightly wrapped around Terrance's neck. "What's the matter?" he asked. "Illikas, he's my foster father. Believe me, he deserves it. Punishment and justice are long overdue." Moxo's fists clenched. She continued here sentence in a tone that kind of creeped Illikas out, "But he deserves worse. At least 10,000 times worse punishment than choking."**

**Terrance attempted to don an expression that meant, 'Please don't!' But neither of them were going to listen to him any longer. Illikas repeatedly punched Terrance until he was out cold. **

**Illikas waited a few seconds, probably checking if Terrance was still conscious, before he turned around. Moxo was rather stunned by the look that Illikas had then given her. A plain smile. "Come with me." was all he said. Moxo didn't object or anything; she was too frazzled up for that. "Where? I can't leave the dreamscape. I thought I told you this already?" Moxo didn't know it yet, but she would regret those words highly later.**

**Illikas nodded. "Aye, we won't be leaving the dreamscape...But what If I brought reality to you?" Moxo was confused. "Bring reality...to me? That's impossible, isn't it?" she asked. "Nothing's impossible. I can merge the realm of reality and the realm of dreams together. Just for a very short time. Just long enough to bring you to my temple. I can also bring HIM into the realm, as well. For proper punishment, of course." Moxo's eyes widened in pure, utter happiness.**

**"****You would do that...for me? You would go that far? To possibly separate the two realms permanently? Why?" Moxo asked. Illikas answered true to himself this time. "Because...I love you.." Moxo was now gaping, her mouth a fully opened chasm, "Illikas…I love you as well!" She replied. They hugged each other. "I'm so glad you feel that way, too…" Illikas said, tears of joy running down his face. **

**Terrance got up, though, ruining their moment of confession to each other. "Well, I'd love to go but...Well, that girl is the sac-" He was cut off as Moxo punched him, knocking him unconscious again. "How did that, feel, Moxo? To punch that bastard?" Illikas asked her. "It felt wonderful. Like a dream come true...so to speak." She replied.**

**"****Listen, Moxo. I have to return to reality for a moment. My servants are probably freaking out right about now. Promise, I'll be right back." Illikas explained. Moxo was suddenly extremely disheartened and terrified. "But you can't just leave this...this monster...and me alone like this!" Illikas looked at her, staring Moxo dead in the eye. "This beast won't trouble you after this."**

**And, having said that, Illikas chained up Terrance to a pole hanging over a fire pit he created with his mind, while Moxo just stared in bewilderment the whole while. Finally, Illikas looked over his work, apparently impressed with his own mind's capabilities. "That should do it. He won't bother you for awhile now."**

**"****Thank you, Illikas. By the way, can I see the real world. or at least where you are?" Moxo asked. Illikas smiled at his now-official girlfriend. "I'd be happy to. Promise, I'll show you after I get back." Moxo then kissed Ilikas and whispered, "Thank you." into his ear.**

**Meanwhile…**

**"****My lord, please wake up!" Marastra said as he slapped Illikas, trying to get him to wake up. Mono'the was screaming into his ear at her loudest volume setting.. Jonah was punching him, Doklan and Gron were just standing in the doorway, and Gobunn was trying every lava-spicy recipe he could think of. Finally Grum rushed into the room and yelled, "Stand back!" as he tossed a bucket of dark brown liquid onto Illikas.**

**Back in the dream...**

**Illkas was just about to leave the dream, waving to Moxo goodbye, when suddenly he realized his hair was wet and sticky. He pulled one of his dreadlocks up to his nose and said, "Beer." Illikas sighed deeply and muttered to himself, "First thing I'm going to do when I wake up is choke Grum. Why are all my servants such Idiots!?" **

**Moxo kept waving, when she noticed someone standing by her. She looked up, slowly and dramatically. "Hello, How fares my daughter-in-law?" Illimas said, smiling while (accidentally) baring his fangs. Moxo felt like her consciousness had snapped in half right there and then. Moxo looked over at Illikas, then at Illimas. "Illikas? What are you talking about?" Illidan sighed as he had to explain who he was AGAIN. "I'm not Illikas. I'm his father, Illimas. I just came to check in on you. By the way, is Terrance around? I'd love to slap some sense into him right about now." **

**Moxo looked over at Illikas, who was now very nearly fully back into reality. Just before he faded away, his lips moved and said something, but Moxo didn't quite catch it. She then looked back at Illimas. "Can he see you?" she asked. "Alas, he cannot. I have a feeling the poor boy has given up on all hope of seeing me again. And I can't blame him either." Illimas said.**

**Moxo was confused now, but she was also starting to get worried about what she might hear next. "Why can't you **

**blame him, um...Mr. Rager? Can I call you that?" She asked. Illimas smiled. "Yes. Feel free to call me that. The reason I cannot blame him, actually, is that the poor boy was killing old enemies of mine for 2 years. He then had to kill his own father." Illimas explained. **

**Moxo almost stopped breathing. Was she seeing ghosts now? Regardless, she still had to ask one more thing. "Why would he do something so terrible? He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would be that mad to do something like that on his own." she asked. Illimas frowned. "Because I asked him to. The only one out of two people he's ever cared for in his life, dead. I'm pretty sure anyone going through that would've gone pretty emotionless."**

**Moxo now had another thing to ask Illimas. It was as if he talked in riddles. "Who is the second person?" Illimas laughed while responding, "Why you, of course! He cares for you far greater than he could have ever for me. Remember that, Moxo." Moxo took a moment to take it all in.**

** "****Mr. Rager, you said something earlier about me being your daughter-in-law. What did you mean?" Illimas grinned. "I called you that because you're his one true love. It's a little bit of a joke I made to myself. Consider it a nickname, really. Promise me one thing though, Moxo." Moxo gazed in wonderment at Illimas. "Yes?" She asked. Illimas donned the most serious face he could, and it was pretty serious. "Promise me that you'll never give up on him. On your love. On your lives." Moxo then nodded and said, "I promise!"**


	6. Chapter 6: My Beloved or My Servants?

**Chapter 6: My Beloved or My Servants?**

**As promised, as soon as Illikas woke up, he began choking Grum. He then took his hands immediately off him. "Next time I fall asleep on purpose, Grum, DO NOT DOUSE ME WITH THAT DAMN BEER OF YOURS!" Illikas shouted. But then Illikas looked around at his servants. Something was terribly wrong here; he could see it in their faces. Jonah finally spoke up, breaking the silence.**

** "****Who's that behind you?" he asked. Illikas looked behind him to see Moxo standing there. She was looking at her surroundings. Mono'the growled menacingly at her, while Marastra and Grum looked at her blankly. Illikas seemed a bit embarrassed, but introduced them anyway. "Everyone, this is Moxo. Moxo, these are my servants." **

**Mono'the continued to have an aggressive tone while asking, "Who is she? Where does she come from? Can she speak? Can she be trusted? And can she-mmph!" She was cut off as Marastra tied a cloth blanket around the loudspeaker. Illikas giggled and replied, "She's a deathly ill patient, she comes from the dreamscape, yes she can speak, and of course she can be trusted. And…" Illikas nodded back at Moxo, and Moxo nodded back. They then explained in unison, "And we've fallen in love."**

**The servants, even Mono'the, (who also was incapable of doing such things) gasped. Marastra walked over to Moxo and studied her up and down for a long while before asking, "You're from the dreamscape, then? And yet you say you've fallen in love with lord?" Moxo shuddered. She felt as though that word -lord- reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite place here finger on it. Then she remembered.**

**The night she had been brought into reality. She couldn't quite remember most of it, but she did remember Terrance saying something about a lord. After that fateful night, she had extremely brief moments of consciousness for the next 12 years.**

**Those brief moments of conscience was where she awoke only to see Terrance. There was only one thing that he had done for her over the course of those nightmarish 12 years that was good, and that was teach her the human language. Even there, he had slapped here if she refused to learn or if she got something wrong.**

** "****Moxo, are you okay?" Illikas said, waving his hand in front of her face. "Hmm? Oh. Yes I'm fine, Illikas." She replied as she settled back into present time. But then she looked around. "Where are we? I don't think this is the room we were just in." she asked. Illikas frowned and replied, "You fell asleep after Marastra asked you that question. He's actually still waiting on your answer."**

**Moxo smiled. "And you carried me here? You really are a gentleman." Illikas blushed. "Well, you ARE the only one who's been able to give me emotions of any kind since...that day…" He trailed off, but then looked back at her. "Moxo...there's something I haven't told you yet." he said. "And that is..?" Moxo asked, although she was fairly certain she already knew what it was.**

** "****Remember that time you made me cry? I was crying over something my father once told me. 'nothing, son...it's nothing...'. I think I understand what he meant now. I think he was referencing the crimes he once did...For which he told me to kill him." Illikas explained.**

**Illikas sighed. "Your pardon, my dear, but I don't believe you could ever grasp the amount of death that I have seen, or the agony that I inflicted upon those deaths. I am sorry, Moxo, but I am not a worthy man for a woman like you" And with that, Illikas started walking out of the room. "Illikas Marshall Rager! You come back here this instant!" **

**Illikas looked slowly behind him. "What are you, my mother?" He asked. "No, I am not anywhere close to being capable of your great and noble mother's position, let alone your sister. However, I AM capable of other things…" Moxo said. **

**Illikas looked at her, but instead of asking how she knew of his mother's OR his sister's legacy, he simply asked, "Such as?" Moxo walked up to him, closer and closer, until Illikas could literally hear her breathing. She whispered in his ear, "I am capable of being your one and only true love."**

**Illikas backed away and said, "Well, I'm glad you feel that way. But can you truly believe that one such as I, who has seen so much death inflicted by my own hands, can ever truly be capable of loving you?" Moxo giggled. "Of course!" And so Illikas and Moxo had both confessed their love for each other, and their fate was sealed.**

**That night…**

**Illikas had just finished setting up Moxo's new bed, along with her help and all of the servants. By the time they were done, they realized it was a bed simply fit for a queen. "A perfect fit for the king's perfect girl." Gobunn had blushed. "Yes it is. However, I can't help but think that there's something missing...Ah! I know! My life support systems."**

**Illikas looked at his servants while Moxo asked, "Would you men mind being lads and gathering them for me?" Marastra had spoken for the rest of the servants when he said, "Right away, milady!" And with that, they all left the room. Moxo turned her gaze towards Illikas. "Have you ever kissed a girl before, Illikas?" She asked. "Have you?" Illikas replied. "Never before in my life." They said in unison.**

**However, just as they were about to have their first kiss, Illikas sighed and said as if to thin air, "Mono'the I know you're still there. Please leave." "But I cannot allow you to kiss someone you just met without it being recorded! Think of what your children would say If they didn't have any evidence that you two were ever together!" Mono'the stated.**

**Illikas pondered this for a moment, and then replied, "Fair point," as he proceeded to hug Moxo close to him, and him close to her. "I love you." they said in perfect unison. And then they had the first kiss of their lives which made their love intertwined and irreplaceable forever.**


	7. Interlude: The Dock of Exchanged Vows

Interlude: The Dock of Exchanged Vows

After that night, the near future couple had gotten closer and closer, until one night, the couple met at a dock for fishermen down on Earth,, during a beautiful sunset. They had kissed, but then Moxo knelt down. At the same time, Illikas knelt down too. "Illikas Marshall Rager…" Moxo had said. "Moxo Holly Geraldo…" Illikas had said.

They had presented each other with an item: Moxo to Illikas, a necklace, and Illikas to Moxo, a ring. "Will you marry me?" They had asked each other in perfect unison. They smiled at each other. "Yes!" they had said. Illikas spoke up first. "I promise, Moxo. I will never let anyone harm you. I will be your one and only true love." to which Moxo replied, "And I promise to never again cause you any harm, be it emotional or physical. I will be your one and only true love." And with that, they had stood up, and continued kissing each other.

When they returned to the temple late that night, Illikas had had a each of the servants work at setting up a wedding position, set up and decided by what their strong suites were.

Gobunn was the preacher, Doklan and Gron were the ones who set up the tables, chairs, benches, and whatnot. Gobunn and Grum were in charge of the food. Who were Marastra and Mono'the in all of this? Why, none other then the best man and the maid of honor of course!

After about an hour of setting up, the bride entered in a new outfit, but there was no cloth covering her face. Instead, she was wearing her bladed pigtails. .Instead of playing _Here comes the bride, _however, what did they play? None other than _Trail of the Lonesome Pine_! Although they had yet to visit the blue ridge mountains of Virginia mentioned in the song.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of this fair couple." Gobunn began, before he shuffled his stance. "You know what? No one cares about that part anyway." Gobunn said as he tossed the bible over his shoulder. "Moxo, do you take this demon to be your lawfully wedded husband, love him, cherish him, and-oh you get the idea." He asked. "I do." She said. Gobunn turned his gaze towards Illikas. "Milord...ummm...Same question." He said this nervously because of the gaze Illikas was giving him. "Yes."

"Okay then. I now pronounce you Dream Girl and Reality Demon. You can now kiss the-" Gobunn said, and then paused due to another look Illikas was giving him. "You may give the order just this once, Gobunn. Don't think you'll ever get an opportunity like this again." Illikas said. Gobunn cleared his throat and continued, "You may now kiss the bride." And they did.

Cheers were heard from everyone besides Gobunn, who was now terrified for his life. Meanwhile, Illimas just sat on one of the benches, legs crossed on the one in front of him. Illikas looked behind him after pulling back from Moxo. "Father!?" Everyone looked in the direction Illikas was looking, The servants gasped. "Illimas!?" they all said. Illimas simply gave them all a smirk. "Thank you, Daughter-in-law. Thank you, my son. And thank you, Mono'the. Never give up on each other, and you will be fine in the many challenges to come." He said.

And with that, Illimas faded into thin air, once and for all. Illikas and the servants just stared with blank expressions on their faces for about 10 minutes or so, until they noticed Mono'the was talking to Moxo. Illikas grew red-hot with rage suddenly. "Mono'the! You knew my father was alive!?" Moxo grimaced at Illikas. I'm sorry I never told you, Illikas..but... I saw him too all those years ago…"

Illikas almost ignored her, but he replied eventually. "That, I can forgive. But what I CANNOT forgive is one of my servants never telling me he was alive!" Mono'the spoke up. "Illikas, I think it'd be best if you saw this…It'll explain all your questions." Illikas changed his mood. "What are you talking about?" was all he asked.

With that, Mono'the played an old recording of Illikas' father. "My son...By the time you hear this, I will definitely be dead, killed by your hands. Listen to me. I have a power I have never told you about, But I think it is best if you discovered it for yourself. Temporary resurrection. I'll be like a ghost for the first 12 years after you have killed me, Only a select few will be able to hear me and see me over that period of time. When I am finally fully visible and made of actual matter. i'll be seeing you at either your funeral, or your wedding. and the I'll be gone. Forever. Remember, only those with enough caring for you will be able to see me. I love you."

Mono'the came back on after it ended. "I love you too…" Illikas said. Moxo put a hand on his shoulder. "Illikas, are you okay? This must be a lot to go through." Illikas shook his head. "I'm fine Moxo." He turned around. "We never finished that kiss though, I believe" he tried his best at a smile through the tears he was now shedding. Moxo smiled back. "No, I don't believe we did." She said. They did the same as in that kiss many years ago. they pulled each other close and then kissed.


	8. FAQ: Part One

**FAQ: Part One**

Q:What year does this story begin in?

A: This story begins in the year 2470, and progresses in years as Illikas and Moxo age.

Q: How did Moxo meet the Metalworker in Chapter One?

A: Moxo never formally met the metalworker, in fact she never even asked for his name. The reality is, she went into his blacksmith shop and asked for steel folds in her hair, and that was that.

Q: Is there magic in this universe?

A: Yes, there is magic. However, it is only practiced by special people, such as Illikas. And before you ask, no. Moxo does not have magic powers, but she is merely aided by the powers she inherited from the dreamscape.

Q: Why is Terrance such an ass?

A: Just cause. He is cruel, he is abusive, and he is really messed up in the head.

Q: How does Illikas plan on getting himself down to Earth in the second chapter?

A: Simple, really. He has bat wings. Thus, he can fly.


	9. Chapter 7: Bearing Gifts

**Chapter Seven: Bearing "Gifts"**

**"****Tsk Tsk...Where is he?" Mon'je said as she tapped her foot impatiently. "Do not worry, Mon'je, I am sure he will be here soon." Zulu'gru replied. Just then, guess who shows up? Yep. Terrance. He bowed and then asked, "What is it you ask of me, lords?" **

**Mon'je hissed and Zulu'gru scowled at Terrance. "You have failed us time and time again, young Terrance, not to mention the fact that you are abusive towards our child. You're damn lucky we don't kill you on the spot." Zulu'gru said. Mon'je nodded at Zulu'gru, then turned towards Terrance. "However, we will give you one more chance. If you promise to not hurt Moxo physically again until her time comes, and that you will free her of all bonds she has made in the material world, then we will let you live."**

**Terrance looked at them, and finally got the nerve to speak up after a long while. "I swear on my blood, I will do as you command." Zulu'gru stared him down. "Very well. But if you are to go about doing this, we have found that you will need more strength. This 'Illikas' character is much more powerful than he seems, and appears to share an extreme bond with Moxo." He said sternly.**

**"****I have...experienced his power. I know now that he is not to be underestimated." Terrance said. "Therefore, young Terrance, you will have a fraction of our power. Consider it our gift. With this gift, you are to find and destroy Illikas." Mon'je said. Terrance looked up. "I understand, lords. I will not fail you."**


	10. Chapter 8: Bearing Children

**Chapter Eight: Bearing Children**

**Illikas lay there in bed, looking up at the ceiling. He was thinking about his life. ****_A couple, then, huh? She is the woman who I fell in love with, and yet...something seems… a bit off. _****"****Are you okay, dear?" Moxo asked. "Hmm? Oh, I'm fine, Moxo. It's just...I dunno, something seems a bit off. Something is still missing, Moxo. You are the one who filled up most of that oversized hole in my heart, but I cannot help but think that I'm forgetting something." Moxo pondered for a bit. She felt this way too, as if something was missing ever since they had gotten married three months ago. **

**But then the realization dawned on them, and their eyes widened in terror. "Terrance!" They said in unison. But then Illikas calmed down. "Nah, that can't be it. He's unconscious in the dreamscape, and won't regain it until about 30 years from now." Moxo was still trembling at the thought. "Maybe we ought to check, just to be sure. I wouldn't want for our.." Moxo stopped herself. "Our what?" Illikas asked as he furrowed his brow. Moxo wanted to tell him, but she just couldn't. "Our relationship to come to that kind of end, not to mention so early in it."**

**Illikas looked her over, but stopped at her waist. "Moxo, you're bleeding!" Moxo looked down. She was about to say something, but instead began to scream, as a Knife pierced her through the chest. "MOXO!" He screamed. He immediately rushed to her side as she slumped over. She wasn't breathing. Illikas' breathing went from grief to uncontrollable rage as he looked up at her attacker with Moxo's corpse still in his hands.**

**Illikas woke up in a cold sweat. His breathing was uneven, and his face was a pinkish-red. He looked around the room. He looked over at Moxo, only to find she wasn't there. "MOXO!?" He screamed. "Yes, darling?" Moxo said from the shower. Illikas lay back in the bed, a sigh a relief emerging from his lips. "Nothing!" Illikas looked over at the calendar on the far wall. It was indeed only two months after their marriage, just as he remembered.**

**Meanwhile, Moxo was looking at herself in the mirror, for she had just gotten out of the shower. She sighed. She was remembering what she had talked over with Mono'the earlier that same night.**

**"****Mono'the, I feel...strange. Can you please run a diagnostic ultrasound scan on me, just between us girls?" She had said. Mono'the did, and she managed to crack a giggle. "Oho...You are lucky, Moxo. i could never have that. Not that i would want to in the first place, but still. Anyway, the scan has confirmed another human being inside you." Moxo grimaced. She turned around and cried.. "I can't believe this is happening…" she had wept.**

**Moxo looked up at the clock in the bathroom, and sighed again. ****_11:00...I really should get to bed. _****She thought to herself. "Thinking of going to bed, sweetheart?" Moxo looked behind her, and her eyes widened in terror. She tried to scream for help, but Terrance had already stuffed a rag inside her mouth, and knocked her so hard that one of her teeth fell out. Luckily, Marastra just so happened to be patrolling by on his nightly rounds, when he heard the commotion. He busted down the door, and there he saw Terrance. Marastra quickly swung a bionic kick straight across Terrance's face. Marastra quickly pulled out the rag from Moxo, who was about to slip back into the dreamscape.**

**"****Marastra...Tell Illikas...Tell him...Help me…." she barely muttered, her tone just below a whisper. "Lady Rager! Do not give out on me or on Illikas!" Moxo smiled. "I'm sorry...But I have to...I understand now...My time has come…"**

**Illikas ran into the room, demon rage coming there full-on. "What's going on in here!?" But then he realized as he looked around the room. Marastra looked up at his master. "My apologies, my lord, but I think Lady Rager has just left reality…" Illikas sighed in relief. "Well, if that's all, then get her down to her Capsule immediately." Marastra stood up. "Right away, sir.!"**

**As he left the room with her in his metal hands, Illikas knelt down by Terrance, and looked him dead in the eye. "I ought to kill you right here and now, Terrance." Terrance looked up and smiled menacingly.."Oh, this isn't over yet, buddy-boy…" He said as he kicked Illikas down to the ground. "...Not by a LONG SHOT!" Illikas looked him over while Terrance began monologuing. "You know, Illikas, I've been foiled by you enough times now. She has given up on her love for you, you know tha,t right?"**

**_Never give up on your love for each other, and you will be fine in the many obstacles to come. _****Illikas could still remember what his father had said on their wedding day. He kicked Terrance hard in the shin, which made Terrance topple over in pain. "She would NEVER give up on our love. And if she did, I would do everything possible in the universe to fix her back.. That is NOT the woman I know, love, and married. I think it's high time you died, you puny little animal." Illikas explained, although he felt as though it was pointless trying to explain something like that to a man like this. "Not today, I don't believe." Terrance said as he faded away.**

**"****Goddamnit! I HATE it when my enemies do that!" He yelled out in frustration.**

**The next morning…**

**Mono'the was running a diagnostic on Moxo when Illikas walked into the lab. "How long will it take her?" He asked. "A month, at least." She answered Illikas grimaced. "Just as I feared, then…" "What did you fear, Illikas?" Mono'the asked, worried if her and Moxo's secret was already known to Illikas. "I had a vision last night. Moxo is scheduled to die in one month." He explained.**

**Mono'the briefly scanned her memory banks, looking for anything Illimas may have said that would've inferred that. She did not find anything. "Why do you believe that it will happen? Your pardon, but it is pretty silly to believe that anyone you know will die just because you are told it will happen...Oh." Mono'the stopped herself as she realized the look Illikas was giving her. His father's death was not a very light subject, to say the least.**

**Illikas calmed down a bit, however. "I would advise you to not step over that line in the foreseeable future, Mono'the." He said. "Yes, Lord Rager." Mono'the then got the nerve to speak up again as Illikas began to leave the room. "I don't think she would want you to stand idle, Illikas. She would want you to help her." She said. Illikas looked behind him. "Yes, but how, Mono'the? How would I be able to see her at all?" **

**"****By finding Terrance, of course." Illikas and Mono'the's screen gazed over at Marastra, who had been standing guard at the door the whole time. "What do you mean, Marastra?" illikas asked. "Find Terrance, and you'll find Lady Rager. Wherever she is, he will follow." Marastra explained.**

**"****But what about you?" Illikas asked. "Don't worry about me or Mono'the. We'll stay here and guard the temple." "And the rest of the servants?" "I've already told them to join you. The dreamscape can be perilous, as we all know." **

**Illikas mulled this over before saying, "Very well. But no harm of any kind will come to my beloved. Am I clear?" Marastra smiled. "Crystal, Lord Rager."**

**Meanwhile, Moxo had just regained her consciousness in the hut that Illikas had built for her, all those years ago. "Ah yes, this is where me and Illikas first met…" She said to herself. "Moxo, my baby!" A voice said. Moxo looked over in the direction of the voice. The voice belonged to someone she had never met before in her life, and yet it seemed somehow...familiar. "Where are you? Who are you? Moxo asked.**

**A fully-grown woman stepped out from the shadows. She was wearing a long, short-sleeved blue sweater, a skirt that was such a bright white that it gave off a glare, silver high heels, a pair of blue latex gloves, and a long, white, bladed ponytail. However, there were several parts of her getup that seemed odd to Moxo, such as her necklace, wristbands, and earrings all being in the design of snakes. It was quite apparent that this woman loved snakes.**

**"****How you've grown, Moxo! My name is Mon'je Guinevere Tomlokta LXVII, but please, just call me by the name you already know me as." Mon'je said. Just as Moxo was about to ask what name that was, another voice came from the other direction. "And I am Zulu'gru Sylvester Victoriana CLXIII, but you may call me by the name you already know me as."**

**Zulu'gru, a fully-grown man, was wearing a pitch-black hooded robe that stretched all the way down to his knees, a black pair of silk jeans, oversized, purple, threaded-at-the-bottom stomping boots, a pair of white punching gloves, and long, black dreadlocks. There were parts of his getup that seemed odd as well, such as the spikes adorning his wrists, ankles, and his dreadlocks. Moxo wondered why there were steel folds on parts of his hair as well, just like hers and Mon'je's.**

**"****And what are these names I supposedly already know you by?" Moxo finally got a chance to ask. "Mother-" Mon'je started. "-And father." Zulu'gru finished. Moxo just stood there, stunned. It felt like her entire world had just been turned upside-down. "Come again?" She said.**


	11. Chapter 9: Long-lost Family

**Chapter Nine: Long-lost Family**

**Mon'je wore a look of shock, and Zulu'gru flinched. Finally Mon'je spoke up. She rushed up to Moxo, hugged her, and asked, "Don't tell me you don't remember us! What happened to your memory, Moxo? Was it Terrance? Did he hurt you at all in the process of trying to get you here?" Moxo just looked at her supposed mother. "No I don't remember you, however I don't think it has anything to do with my memory, no to the third question, and a lot is the answer to the fourth question."**

**Mon'je looked up at Zulu'gru, who nodded back at Mon'je. Moxo was growing more curious by the second, so what she then did was push Mon'je off of her, and then ask, "So if you two really ARE my real mother and father, do you mind if I ask you questions that only my real parents would know?" "Sure, sweetheart." Zulu'gru replied. "DO NOT CALL ME THAT!" Moxo yelled at the top of her lungs. Zulu'gru tilted his head and asked, "Why not, Moxo?" Moxo put a hand up to her mouth and replied, "Sorry. It's force of habit."**

** "****Anyway," Moxo said, "Mother, you first. What is the reason behind the blades in my hair?" "That's easy. Fashion!" Moxo smiled. "Correct." she said. "And now you, father. What is the color I hate most?" "Red, of course." Moxo was getting excited. "Correct. Last question: What is the best ingredient for making bread?" The family answered as a whole this time. "Dream dust. It's as simple as that!" **

**Moxo hugged her newfound parents. "You really ARE my family members!" Mon'je and Zulu'gru smiled at each other. "The one and only." Zulu'gru replied. "Honey, how would you like to see your birthplace?" Mon'je asked Moxo. Moxo frowned and pulled back. "ohhh….as much as I'd love to, I can't…" Zulu'gru grew a bit angry at this. "Why not?" Moxo looked out the window of the small hut. "Because I'm waiting on someone I made a promise to…" Moxo waved her wedding ring around in their faces. Mon'je smirked. "Who's the lucky guy? We've been watching you, but we never quite caught his name." **

** "****His name is Illikas. He is the best, most gentlemanly man I've ever met before in my life, and probably ever-" Moxo cut herself off as she looked back at her parents. "-Wait. You've been WHAT!?" **

** "****Apologies, darling, but we wanted to make sure you were okay down there with Terrance. Which, quite apparently, you were not." Moxo got even angrier at this. "Of course I wasn't! What did you think would happen when you sent me to be with that...that thing!?" "Sweetie, please calm down. We knew all too well the risks we were taking by leaving you in his care, but there was nothing we could do. He was controlling us using his mind." Mon'je said.**

**Moxo did calm down, but then asked, "if you knew, then why didn't you try and fight his control?" "We tried, but he was just too strong." Mon'je replied. "Dear, please try to understand." Zulu'gru said. "I do, father. I do." Moxo said while wiping the tears from her face. **

** "****However, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to see your birthplace, Moxo. Even for a moment." Mon'je pleaded. "Please, Moxo?" Zulu'gru asked. Moxo smiled. "Alright, I'll go. How do we get there though?" she asked. "Easy. We teleport." Zulu'gru explained. **

**With that, Zulu'gru waved his hand in the air, and the trio arrived at the front of Moxo's birthplace. "This...Isn't exactly what I was expecting…" Moxo said as she gazed up at the vastness of the castle. "You know what they say. Bigger is better." Mon'je said. "Come. Let us enter." Zulu'gru said.**


	12. Chapter 10: Long-lost Relatives

**Chapter Ten: Long-lost Relatives**

**Meanwhile, Illikas and his servants were getting ready when the doorbell sounded. You see, the temple itself had just landed near an oil rig in the region known as India in order to refuel. "I wonder who that could be…" Illikas said. His answer came when he arrived at the door.. "Hello, Illikas. We heard you were hunting for someone, so we decided to help you." The person said from the other side of the door. "Might I inquire as to who this is?" Illikas asked them.**

** "****Topiana Werf-" one said, "Nasona-" another of them said. "And Elizabeth Rager." the original voice finished. Illikas backed away in shock, and bumped into Doklan, who had followed him as his guard. "Elizabeth?" He asked. Illikas gulped, then nodded. "Your pardon, illikas, but I think you're going to need all the help you can get If you're going to hunt down Terrance." Doklan stated plainly.**

**illikas looked at him for a moment, sighed, and turned back towards them. "It's good to know my relatives are on my side when I need them to be. Please, come in." And so they did.**

**Topiana, Illikas' biological mother, was wearing just plain white. White robe, white gloves, white high heels, and a crystal pendant around her neck- all of it, white. Even her skin color was white.**

**Nasona, Illikas' uncle, on the other hand, was much more diverse in his apparel. He was wearing an orange cloak, a purple, torn shirt, black denim pants, white gloves, and wielded brass knuckles. His skin color was purple, much like Illikas' father.**

**Elizabeth herself looked like Illikas' doppelganger or something. She probably was, too. She was wearing...well you can probably imagine up what she was wearing, I suppose.**

**"****So wait. Where did you hear that I was hunting someone?" Illikas asked. "It was a woman who told us this...a miss...um...Fitz?" Elizabeth replied. Illikas smiled. Fitz was Mono'the's last name. "Why am I not surprised?" Illikas muttered. "Did she tell you who I was hunting?" "Not really. All she said was that you needed help hunting down someone with a unbelievable amount of power." Elizabeth told him.**

**"****By the way, Illikas, where and when did you get that?" Nasona asked, gesturing to the necklace around Illikas' neck. Illikas grinned heavily. "I'm a married man now." he said. "Huh. I never thought you were the type to care about anyone at all, let alone marry them. So who is she?" Elizabeth asked. Illikas looked up.**

**"****Her name is Moxo. She's got an indomitable will to live, and an even more indomitable way of talking. And I swear to you, her voice is like a siren's, a beautiful one no less. She almost is, considering the way she sleeps." Illikas looked back at Elizabeth. "You know, she's actually in the other room, if you wish to meet her." The three relatives nodded their heads in unison. "We'd love to." Topiana said.**

**When they arrived in the lab where she was in her dream-stasis capsule, the group of relatives couldn't help but give blank stares. Elizabeth was the first to speak up. "So, wait...you married...an unconscious woman? Isn't that a bit…I dunno, ra-" Illikas cut her off. "She's not unconscious, she's just only partly here. Her conscious body is in the dreamscape, doing god-knows-what. This is the entire reason I'm on the hunt for her foster father."**

**"****Pardon?" Nasona asked. illikas sighed. "Her ABUSIVE foster father. He attempted to kill her in the bathroom, presumably as she was about to go to bed. One of my servants, Marastra, arrived a bit too late. He tells me he kicked him rather hard across the face, just as Moxo passed out."**

**"****And what is this man's name? And where are her parents?" Topiana asked. "His name is Terrance. He is THE most vile, wretched, horrible man in the history of the universe. And her parents…" Illikas stopped. "Her parents…?" Elizabeth asked again. "You know, we never really discussed her real parents…" Illikas trailed off, lost in thought.**

**_Come to think of it, who would willingly place a baby in Terrance's care? And did they know this would happen? Or worse, did they have...FAITH in Terrance? Also, Moxo always did have that aura about her. What if her parents aren't actually living beings, but instead live in the dreamscape? And if so, are they still there? Is that what Moxo meant by 'my time has come'? Is she with her parents? Does this mean that I fell in love with someone who isn't real?_**

**"****Illikas." Elizabeth snapped her fingers. "ILLIKAS!" "Huh? What?" Illikas snapped back into reality. Elizabeth covered her face with her palm. "It sounds like we have a job to do then?" She asked. "Oh. Yes. Right. Yes we do." Illikas replied. With that, Illikas walked over to the wall and pressed the button to activate Mono'the's loudspeaker. "Alright everyone, continue suiting up. We depart for the dream in…" Illikas looked at his watch. "...twenty minutes." **


	13. Chapter 11: Death

**Chapter Eleven: Death**

** "****So I was born here?" Moxo asked. "Yes, you were. Would you like to enter?" Mon'je asked. "Of course I would!" Moxo was beaming with glee. When they got inside, Moxo was really impressed. She saw several things that were familiar, alright. "Your room is right up here, Moxo." Zulu'gru said. What Moxo saw waiting for her inside her room was more than she could have imagined.**

**But then, for a brief second, she saw something - a glint of metal - out of the corner of her eye. Moxo quickly sidestepped. "Aw man, I missed. Wait a minute...Moxo!?" A boy said. He looked to be about Illikas' age. "Mother, father, who is this man?" she asked. "Moxo, meet your older brother, Jerry. We apologize for not telling you earlier." Zulu'gru said. Jerry waved at Moxo and said, "Heya, sis."**

**Jerry was wearing a bladed afro, for no different a reason than the others. He was wearing stuff that was just so 80's. A tracksuit, headgear, and bellbottoms, to name a few. **

**Jerry hugged Moxo. "I'm glad you're back, sis. I missed you." he said. "I didn't know you even existed, but I suppose I'd have missed you too, had I known." Moxo replied. "Ahem." Mon'je coughed. "Yes, mother?" Moxo asked. "How do you like the castle? There are more parts to see, if you would prefer." Mon'je asked. **

** "****I love it! However, I think it'd be best if I saw it on my own later. For right now, I'd prefer to get some sleep." Moxo said. Moxo's family smiled. "Sure, Moxo."**

**Two months later...**

**Moxo was sleeping when she started screaming in her sleep. "Stay away! Please! Why can't you just be nice to me?" It was only when she woke up after ten minutes of this that she got the feeling she wasn't alone in the room. **

**She looked around, but there was no one there that she could see. When she turned on her side to go back to sleep, however…**

**The scream was heard by Jerry, who happened to be only one room next door to Moxo's. He quickly grabbed the machete he had earlier used in Moxo's room. He kicked down the locked door, which was strange because it wasn't an hour ago, when he had checked. **

** "****Moxo, are you alright?" he said as he ran in. But then, he gasped. "Get away from my sister, Terrance!" He looked up and grinned evilly. Jerry charged, but Terrance just stood there. When Jerry got close enough, Terrance punched Jerry hard enough so that he was knocked out of the room and over the railing to the hallway of the 19th floor. Jerry hit the ground with a resounding thud. **

**Terrance unsheathed his scimitar, and pointed it at Moxo, one foot on her back. "Let's play a game, shall we? I spy, with my little eye, a weak little pest, overdue to be put to rest!" He said as he laughed maniacally. **

** "****Ohhhh, this moment has long been overdue, and this game long over! Goodbye, sweetheart! Ahahahahahahahaha!" With that, he began plunging his poisoned scimitar into Moxo. Moxo kicked and screamed as she yelled out, "No! Stop this! Go away!" to no avail. "Are you this heartless, Terrance? You would kill a pregnant woman?" She continued. Terrance stopped briefly and chuckled. "Of course I would! This is what I am trying to prevent, sweetheart! Please understand that Lord is more important than you could ever be!" **

** "****What do you mean?" Moxo asked. "IT IS NOT YOUR PLACE TO ASK ANYTHING OF ANYONE, WITCH!" Terrance yelled. With that, he continued to strike Moxo at the neck and chest.**

**Terrance sighed. "It's finally over." He said as he took out the scimitar from Moxo's corpse. But just as he began walking away, he began groaning in pain. He turned his head to see none other than the bane of his existence, Illikas. "She can ask what she wants, whenever she wants, Terrance." He said. "Heh. You're too late, boy. Far too late. " Terrance said as he fell to the ground face first. **

**Just then, Zulu'gru and Mon'je walked in to see Terrance laying dead at a demon-like creature's feet, and Moxo laying there, not breathing. Mon'je fainted, and Zulu'gru grabbed her before she hit the floor. He looked up at the demon. there was a long silence between the only two still-conscious/living beings in the castle. And then, finally, Zulu'gru spoke up. "What have you done to my family, monster? Where is Jerry? Who are you? Did you even do this?" He asked. "I am so sorry about your loss., Mr..?" Illikas asked. "Geraldo" He responded. "Mr. Geraldo, I am very sorry. My name is Illikas Marshall Rager. I am this poor woman's husband." He motioned over to Moxo. "If you're looking for someone to blame, then your man is at my feet., dead. Hopefully for good. By the way, who is Jerry?"**

** "****Jerry is my son. Also, if my daughter is your wife, why aren't you at her side, mourning?" Zulu'gru responded with a hint of curiosity. "She'll be fine." was all he said.**


	14. Chapter 12: Life

**Chapter Twelve: Life**

** "****How can you say that? Can't you see she's dead, Illikas?" Zulu'gru asked. Illikas smiled slightly. "She's never going to die.." he said as he unhooked his necklace. The necklace began to emit green, glowing flames from the gemstone in the center. He then walked up to Moxo, and kneeled down. He pressed the necklace against Moxo's stomach, and kissed her on the lips. "...As long as I still stand." he said as he pulled back, and Moxo opened her eyes.**

**He ran a hand through her hair. "That was my promise I made to you, and I would never break a promise." Zulu'gru just looked at the couple with nothing but a blank stare. "How did you do that? Even I am not strong enough to bring people back to life!" he asked in utter awe. **

** "****True love. Love can do anything to anyone." Illikas explained. "However, it can also make them do crazy things. Crazy and reckless. For example, teleporting from one world to another and possibly tearing yourself apart in the process" Moxo added. **

** "****Heh. Of course. I would go much farther than that to see you safe, Moxo. And now that Terrance is dead, we should finally be able to be together." Illikas replied.**

**But then the realization dawned on Moxo. She turned her head over towards Terrance's body. His body was glowing black, like a silhouette. "Illikas...Please tell me you're doing that?" She asked warily. Illikas turned his head over towards Terrance, and his expression quickly changed from glee to despair. "OH NO YOU DON'T! YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY THIS TIME, TERRANCE!" he yelled as he charged over to Terrance. "Told you you were too late, boy. Far too late…" Terrance said.**

**And then Terrance was gone. Illikas screamed. "No! Not again! If he escapes, then it will happen! I refuse to see that happen to her!" Moxo started to get worried about this. "What will happen, Illikas?" she asked. Illikas turned his head and met his eyes with hers. He went from a look of mourning to a look of pure sadness, as if his heart had just been broken in two.**

** "****You're going to die, Moxo…" he said. "And I don't think I can bring you back…" Moxo looked at her husband with a grim but happy smile on her face. "I made a promise as well, don't you remember? I promised to never cause you any harm, be it emotional or physical." **

**Moxo sighed. She really should tell Illikas, but she just couldn't bring herself to do so. Illikas stood up. "Moxo...Are you implying that I shouldn't worry about you, the woman I love?" "No, I'm implying that you need to do what you can, not do the seemingly impossible." Moxo replied.**

** "****Ahem." Zulu'gru said. Mon'je had woken up, and Moxo's parents were now looking at Illikas with a stern glare. "Yes?" Illikas asked. "Promise me one thing, demon. Promise me you'll take good care of my daughter, even when her time comes." "I promise, Mr. Geraldo." Illkas said. "Never give up on your love. I'm sure you'll be fine when the time comes." Mon'je said.**

**_Never give up on each other, and you'll be fine in the many challenges to come. _****Moxo smiled. Illikas was certainly learning to cope with his past. "Thank you, Mrs. Geraldo." he said. ****_Is it just me, or is there something wrong with Moxo? She doesn't seem herself at the moment… _****Illikas thought to himself. "Regardless, It's about time we left…" He said. "You're right. I can't wait to see the temple again." Moxo said.**

**Illikas smiled. "Grab my hand, then." he said. "Alright." Moxo replied. As they began fading away from the dreamscape, Moxo and Illikas said their goodbyes. "Thank you for having me, mother and father! I'll never forget you!" Moxo said. "Goodbye, Geraldo family." Illikas said. "I doubt this is the last time we'll ever see each other, my children." Zulu'gru said. "So there's really no need to be dramatic." Mon'je said. **

** "****Goodbye, sis! Tell stranger-boy here thank you for saving you for me!" Jerry said. Moxo gasped. "No way! You're able to temporarily resurrect? How? And why-" Moxo was cut off as she and Illikas fully disappeared.**

**Jerry smiled to himself. "Thank you, stranger-boy. You may not have saved me, but you saved sis. With that in mind, I am ready to move on the next world…" he said. **

** "****Goodbye, mother. Goodbye, father. Goodbye, Sis. Goodbye, Stranger-boy. And goodbye, Wilson Guille."**


	15. Interlude: Old Ties and New Developments

**Interlude: Old Ties and New Developments**

**The next month, Illikas ventured up to the very top floor of the temple with a torch in his right hand. He had tied his father's demonic corpse to a pile of wood he had stacked himself. "Now it's time I finally did this, after thirty-seven-and-a-half years. I'm sorry I didn't do this before." He said out loud as he set fire to the giant pile of wood.**

**But then a certain falling object clunked him on the head. "Ow! What the hell was…" he looked over to the fallen object, which happened to be Wilson Guille's skull. "...That?" he finished. As he went to go pick it up, however, a hidden projection of Illimas, which had been installed by Illimas himself, materialized in front of him. "Thank you, son. If you're watching this, I just want to tell you first off that I thought you'd never get around to burning my body."**

**"****Now, by the time you're watching this, I'll have been dead for...ooh...about...18, 19 years? Now I presume you're not dead, and that Mono'the has already showed you the recording about how I told you I would die. Your wedding must have been most lovely, and I'll bet you anything it went better than my proposal to your mother."**

**"****Now then, the subject of this message. There is a skull that has probably just fallen on your head. This skull belonged to Wilson Guille, one of the doctors working at a hospital. Whatever you do, my son, do NEVER leave it out of your possession, for there is a man who will want it. The reason? He needs it to assassinate your wife. There will be no way to save her, unless you protect the skull with your life."**

**"****I leave the rest up to you, for only you can decide your future. I love you, my son. This is goodbye." And with that, the projection faded away. Illikas picked up the skull, and stood up slowly. "I promised her I would never bring her any harm, father, and I plan on keeping that promise. I swear to you, I will not let her die!"**

**Meanwhile, Moxo was still in the process of waking up when she suddenly felt an extreme jolt of pain. "Lady Rager? Are you alright?" Marastra asked from outside the door to the room. "Ow...It hurts…Marastra, could you please get Mono'the in here?" Moxo asked. "Right away, Milady." Marastra replied.**

**A couple minutes later, Mono'the stretched out the loudspeaker and attempted to talk in the quietest tone possible for herself. "Yes, Moxo?" She asked. "Mono'the...Please, I need you to tell Illikas. It can be a secret no longer...Ow…" Moxo asked. "Right away." Mono'the replied.**

**Illikas was just coming down from the top of the temple when he heard Mono'the. "Illikas, Moxo needs you right away." She said. "Why?" he asked. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, but she told me to keep it a secre-" "What is it? What's wrong with Moxo?' Illikas asked. 'Illikas, Moxo's been pregnant for the last six months." Mono'the replied.**

**Illikas raised his eyebrows in shock. "I'll be right there." was all he said. With that, he rushed down the stairwell leading to the capsule room. When he got there, he immediately summoned Marastra and the others. 'I require aid with Moxo.' was what he told them.**

**Approximately half an hour later…**

**Moxo was resting in her bed, while Illikas was sitting on the edge of it. "Are you okay now, Moxo?" Illikas asked. Moxo barely looked up, unable to take her gaze off her newborn twins. "Yes, Illikas. I'm fine now. " she replied.**

**There was a long silence, filled with nothing but moxo holding her babies. Finally Moxo broke it. "Mary and Ian." She said. "Huh?" Illikas asked. "Our children's names. Mary is the girl and Ian is the boy." "They're perfect names. But tell me, why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? I would've gladly helped you." he asked. "I was scared." Moxo replied.**

**"****What was there to be scared of? I'll always be by your side, you know that." Illikas said. Moxo sighed. "I was scared of how you would react. What you would've felt." Illikas laughed heartily. "I would've felt whatever you had felt, Moxo." He said as he quelled his laughter.**

**Moxo smiled and finally looked up at Illikas. "I love you." She said. 'I love you too." he said. And then they kissed once again.**

**Meanwhile, Terrance was beginning to consort with his so-called lord. "YOU LET HER GET AWAY!?" the booming voice said. "Well, I didn't LET her slip away, per say...But overall, yes she did." he explained. **

**"****YOU HAVE FAILED ME ONCE AGAIN, TERRANCE! WE ARE GETTING NOWHERE AT THIS RATE! I WILL GIVE YOU ANOTHER CHANCE ONLY ONCE MORE, BUT YOU ARE TO KILL THAT DAMNED DEMON FIRST! HE HAS DELAYED THE RECKONING TOO MANY TIMES NOW! EVERY TIME YOU EVEN SUCCESSFULLY HURT THE GIRL, THAT DAMNED BOY KEEPS GETTING INVOLVED! HE MUST LEARN HIS PLACE!"**

**"****Very well, lord. It will be done." Terrance said.**


	16. FAQ: Part Two & The End

**FAQ: Part Two**

Q: Are Mon'je and Zulu'gru good or evil?

A: They are purely good and have good intentions, mainly because they are Moxo's real parents. However, for reasons we do not know yet, Terrance selected Moxo to be a sacrifice for something when she came of age, so he hypnotized her family to give Moxo to him. Afterwards, he let them go, but then someone else took control of their minds. However, when they encountered their child once again, they were able to regain control of their minds, and their will was their own once again.

Q: How come Illikas' relatives never appeared in the eleventh chapter to help him?

A: He was going to have his relatives help him, but then he thought about teleporting himself to the dreamscape beforehand. He did, and when he found he couldn't find Moxo, he looked everywhere for her, only to find her lying dead at the feet of Terrance. You know how the rest goes.

Q: Why did Moxo act like she was upset when she learned she was pregnant?

A: The reason she reacted the way she did is solely because that was her initial reaction towards the subject. However, over time she learned to cope with it.

THEEND

(To BeContinued)

(Next Book: Children of Dreamonic Blood)


End file.
